Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Cutting Up and Cutting Souls With Lexa Cain



Please welcome Lexa Cain, author of the highly entertaining YA supernatural thriller, Soul Cutter.
*Lexa! Okay, I’ve gotta’ ask…Is Lexa Cain your real name or a pen name? You don’t have to give your true name if it’s not, but…dang, I’m jealous. “Lexa Cain” rolls off the tongue like a dental drug.
Hi Stuart! Thanks for having me on your blog.  Yes, as you’ve so astutely surmised, Lexa Cain is a pen name. It’s my third pen name since I started getting short stories published a few years ago. I like having  different identities. It makes me feel like an international spy!

*Tell us about your book, Soul Cutter.
The main character, Élan, is a person who loves to be in control and who is a skeptic of all things paranormal. When she goes to Egypt, she finds herself surrounded by supernatural forces, including an unearthly killer called the Soul Cutter, who’s kidnapped her mother.  With the help of a tough but secretive young man, Élan has to confront her biggest fears, fight enemies both human and non-human, and save her mother and everyone else from the legendary killer, the Soul Cutter.

*Your book transported me, as a reader, to an exotic locale: Egypt. All of the sounds, sights, smells, customs. Very convincing and very realistic. What experience do you have with Egypt? Tell me it’s not from the intronets.
I’ve lived in Egypt for over twenty years, and I’m married to an Egyptian, so most of my knowledge is first hand, except for the paranormal things. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting any ghosties or supernatural beasties … yet.

*Your protagonist, Elan, is an interesting gal. Part psychic phenomenon debunker, part spunky heroine, all crazy teenage heroine. How much of Elan are you?
Not much really, although I’m as ridiculously stubborn and determined as she is.

*Why is she a psychic phenomenon debunker? I mean, it’s really cool and everything, but, why?
Good question! Complicated answer. Élan killed someone before the book starts and her guilt has convinced her the dead person’s ghost is stalking her to get revenge. She’s obsessed with proving the supernatural doesn’t exist in order to assure herself she has nothing to fear.

*Along these same lines, Elan has issues. Any issues we can relate to you as the author?
Élan has issues with her mother, who didn’t treat her very well as a child. I’ve also found family relationships are often less than satisfying. I also like to be in control and find it hard to accept that I can’t control everything.

*There are some interesting Egyptian legends (and some Islamic ones, as well) presented in your tale. How many of these are based on true beliefs and how many were birthed in your cranium?
The Soul Cutter is completely fictitious, but the Darsani are based on efreet, the evil cousins of djinn. Both efreet and djinn are well known Arabic legends. Efreet are basically demonic entities, and the Darsani in my book are also demonic, but have their own specific abilities and motivations.

*Okay, we have dark, claustrophobic rooms, snakes, rats, perilous height situations, and septic tank trauma! Why do I get the sneaking suspicion this is a laundry list of what frightens Lexa Cain?
It’s rats and snakes and being trapped in a septic tank! Who wouldn’t be scared of those things?

*Putting you on the spot! Which was a bigger influence on your tale: Hellraiser (the flick, not Barker’s novella) or “Scooby-Doo?”
I’d have to go with Hellraiser. The thrills and chills in my novel aren’t for the faint of heart and would even send the Scooby Gang speeding away in their Mystery Machine.

*What’s next to come out of your keyboard, Lexa? Will there be a sequel to Soul Cutter?
I’d definitely love to take Élan and Ramsey on a new adventure! I already have ideas about the new challenges they’ll face, including “Mommy Dearest,” the return of the Soul Cutter, and an even bigger and more dangerous foe. But at the moment that’s on a back burner while I write two other books, a suspense/thriller and a scifi/horror.
Now, go out and buy the dang book, folks. It’s excellent! Lexa’s prose is fantastic and the setting is unique. Plus, if you’re a horror fan, Lexa doesn’t shy away from the goods.


BLURB FOR SOUL CUTTER:
The Soul Cutter is hunting again.
Seventeen-year-old Élan spends her free time videoing psychic scams and outing them online. Skepticism makes life safe—all the ghosts Élan encounters are fakes. When her estranged mother disappears from a film shoot in Egypt, Élan puts her medium-busting activities on hold and joins the search.
In Egypt, the superstitious film crew sucks at finding her mom. When a hotel guest is killed, whispers start—the locals think their legendary Soul Cutter has come back from the dead. Élan's only ally is Ramsey, a film-crew intern, but he’s arrogant, stubborn—and hiding dangerous secrets.
When Élan discovers the Soul Cutter is no scam, she finds herself locked in a deadly battle against a supernatural killer with more than her mother’s life at stake.
Élan's fighting for her very soul.

BUY LINKS:
Amazon:
http://ibty.in/31a1297

Amazon UK:
http://ibty.in/6c078e8

Barnes & Noble:
http://ibty.in/e060b50

Smashwords:
http://ibty.in/f7f1cba

Kobo:
http://ibty.in/f193d27

MuseItUp Publishing:
http://ibty.in/7f5945f

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

21 comments:

  1. Great interview, Lexa. I am with you... trapped with rats and snakes would completely freak me out.

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    1. Tania - Rats and snakes aren't as freaky as some of the things in your books!

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  2. Great interview! Élan sounds like such an intriguing character. And I agree: rats, snakes, and the like would wig out almost anybody!

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    1. Thanks, Heather! Yeah, a lot of wigging out goes on in my book. ;)

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  3. Wonderful interview. The girl has some legitimate fears. The casual way you mentioned that Elan killed someone before the book had me chuckling.

    I take it that you want to see one of these supernatural creatures live and and in person. Good luck with that.

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    1. Hi Nana! But Elan had a good reason to kill someone - honest! I do hope I see something paranormal before I die. I think it would be cool.

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  4. Awesome interview! I'm just as stubborn, Lexa...I knew I liked you! Oh hey, snakes...eeeeek, I'll switch your rats for spiders and freak out about that. I'm thinking I can smash them rats but snakes and spiders would kill me.

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    1. Having met rats and spiders, I can tell you spiders are scarier but easily smooshed, mice are kinda cute but rats are not, and nothing's scarier than snakes! Eek!

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  5. Fantastic interview, guys! I love that Elan thinks she's being haunted, and she wants to debunk it. Way to deal with the problem! :)

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    1. Hi Ava! Yes, Elan tries very hard to debunk the ghosties. Unfortunately, the ghosties are trying equally hard to debunk her! lol

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  6. Great interview. I'm in the middle of Soul Cutter now. Great writing and a suspenseful, fast-moving plot.

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    1. Thanks so much for commenting, Jeff! I'm glad you're enjoying the book. :)

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  7. Oh, that septic tank, did you have to remind me of that? Lol! I can still remember my 'oh, no she didn't' reaction when I was reading SC- all aimed at you, Lexa! ;) Fun interview, guys!

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    1. Leandra - you always crack me up! Yes, I'm kinda evil to my poor characters. ;)

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  8. Okay, forget about spiders and snakes and septic tanks. You guys know what's really scary? High school reunions. Brrrrr.

    Anyway, everyone give it up for Lexa, she's awesome. I truly loved her book.

    Thanks, Lexa, for playing along with my silly interview.

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  9. When I've read a book, I love how author interviews add another dimension for me. I enjoyed Soul Cutter.

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    1. Thanks, Medeia! Your opinion means a lot to me. :)

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  10. Always great to hear more from Lexa. And it's great to meet you, Stuart! I've had Soul Cutter on my list since December and definitely need to get busy and read it, I know I'll love it.

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    1. Great to meet you too, Julie. You can't go wrong with Soul Cutter. Great book and Lexa has all the right moves. And I'm persnickety in my recommendations.

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    2. Thanks so much for visiting this blog and for your kind comments, Julie! You're the sweetest person I know. :)

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